CR works well with the case study design, both single case study and the multiple case study designs. Even though, Bhaskar, the originator of CR did not recommend any particular research methodology because critical realism is a heterogeneous philosophy that assists a researcher in selecting a method for study based on a research question and its characteristics (Javidroozi, Shah, & Feldman, 2018). However, a number of CR researchers have commended the case study method as best positioned to explore the interaction of structure, events, agency, and context to identify causal mechanisms (Easton, 2010; Miles & Huberman, 1994 ). This is partly because the main goal of CR is to identify sequences, taking into account the context in which the causal mechanism is identified and explained. A case refers to a bounded system which is bound by time and place (Creswell, 2013). Easton (2010) believes that the case study is a qualitative approach that conforms with CR philosophy which is well suited for investigating complex events. This current study uses the case study design because it can provide rich insights into particular situations, in this instance, curriculum responsiveness to the learning needs of A1 farmers in Masvingo province of Zimbabwe.
In this study, the qualitative comparative case study design was used focusing on curriculum responsiveness of two vocational training colleges to the learning needs of A1 farmers in Masvingo Province. The two institutions can also be seen as particular cases. Each of the two colleges under study are considered as separate cases and will be treated as such. The case study provides deep insight into a particular instance by providing rich descriptions of the case.
Denscombe (2014) notes that when a researcher chooses to devote his attention to one instance, he has a greater opportunity of looking at it in more detail.
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According to Danermark (2002) , in CR, all science must have generalising claims. However, what differs are the meanings of the concept generalisation in CR research. In this study, the realist concept of generality is applied, which refers to transfactual conditions for something to be what it is. This differs from the other definition of generalisation which implies an extrapolation applied by empiricists whereby an occurrence within a small population can be generalised to a bigger population. Apart from induction and deduction, CR uses abduction and retrodiction as modes of inference that allows generalisations of findings from case studies (Danermark, 2002). In this study, generalisations based on retrodictive inference show how something might be. Causal mechanisms influencing curriculum responsiveness in VET can be generalisable to other contexts in Zimbabwe after testing their applicability in these contexts.
Generalisations in CR are at the level of mechanisms having isolated specific ones in a study and then assess their presence or absence in another context. The importance of recontextualising is based on the fact that reality is unstable and depends on various circumstances in open systems (Danermark, 2002).
5.3.1 Justification of the qualitative comparative case study design in CR research
A case study allows one to examine a particular instance in depth and is therefore an intensive way of studying (Rule & John, 2011). Another justification for using the case study is its flexibility and versatility. The case study’s focus on a particular ‘case’ makes it more manageable. It provides the researcher with a particular unit to study which can be clearly delineated and separated from other units (Rule & John, 2011). The case study has the further advantage of using multiple data collection methods. Denscombe (2010) points out that the case study approach allows and even encourages the researcher to use a variety of sources, a variety of types of data and a variety of research methods. The use of multiple data collection sources from a small number of social entities can best be done through the case study design.
This study used the qualitative comparative case study research approach. The qualitative comparative case study is an important research design in CR research (Ackroyd & Kalsson, 2014).The qualitative approach is more prominent in CR research because it is capable of providing in-depth understanding of phenomena, identifying the complex mechanisms, creating
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relationships between different mechanisms, as well as between different mechanisms and structures and describing actual events (Mingers, 2014). This study fits within the expectations of a typical critical realist design because it focuses on only two cases. Bygstad and Munkvold (2011) note that critical realist designs should be intensive studies of limited cases, where the researcher systematically analyses the interplay between the layers. CR works well with intensive case study designs because it allows for analysis of structure-agency relations.
Critical realists seek substantial connection among phenomena rather than formal associations or regularities. In explaining associations, they seek to distinguish what must be the case from what merely can be the case. Explanation of the social world also requires an attentiveness to its stratification, to emergent powers arising from certain relationships, and to the ways in which the operation of causal mechanisms depends on the constraining and enabling effects of contexts (Sayer, 2004).
Rule and John (2011) note that multiple case studies allow for comparison across cases. This is particularly important in the current comparative study. Another advantage of the multi case study is that it enables the researcher to explore differences and similarities within and between cases. From the multiple case study, because comparisons will be drawn, it is imperative that the cases are chosen carefully so that the researcher can predict similar results across cases, or predict contrasting results based on a theory (Baxter & Jack, 2008). In this case, two different VET colleges in terms of ideology, ownership, funding and management were chosen to enhance the comparative study.
The research questions for this study were mostly exploratory in nature, and thus, are best addressed using the case study design as supported by (Easton, 2010; Yin, 2013). Within the case study design, the study focused only on two entities (colleges offering VET) in Masvingo province and used multiple sources of data. This makes it a qualitative comparative case study research.
127 5.3.2 Selection of study sites
The study focused on VET curriculum responsiveness to the learning needs of A1 farmers in Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. As such, the selection of cases was limited to a particular geographic region, that is, Masvingo Province. It was also a given that the sites had to be vocational training colleges, which obviously had to be in operation during the particular historical period of interest. Masvingo Province at the time of the study had twenty-six registered vocational training centres.
The goal for selecting the specific study units is to have those that will yield the most relevant and plentiful data (Yin, 2013). In light of the tense and sometimes strained relationship between the government and non-governmental organisations in Zimbabwe as well as the polarisation of land issues especially after the year 2000, it would be interesting to study the responses of, on the one hand, the government training college and on the other the non-governmental training college. It is because of those factors that the researcher chose the two colleges. This is in line with Yin’s argument that a researcher should prioritise choosing study sites that might offer contrary evidence or views (Yin, 2013).
In selecting the two sites for study the researcher considered two main factors that justified the choice. This was in line with Denscombe (2014) who notes that a case study should be chosen on the basis of specific attributes found in the case. These should be important to the issue being studied. This study being a multi-case study of two colleges offering vocational education in Masvingo Province meant that the researcher had to choose two different colleges in terms of ownership, funding management and location of the colleges. In Masvingo Province, there are some vocational training colleges which are distinct with reference to the above factors in that the majority of them are government run training colleges while there are a few non- governmental organisations and church run training colleges. The researcher chose to compare the government training college with the non- governmental training college. This is supported by Denscombe (2014) who notes that a case might be selected on the grounds that, far from being typical, it provides something in contrast to the norm.
128 5.3.3 Study population
Defining the population is important to enable the reader to know exactly to which population the conclusions apply. Population refers to the totality of entities from which a study sample is drawn and from which conclusions can be reached (Palinkas et al., 2015; Yin, 2015).
Establishing a population assists in establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria. By the time of the study, Masvingo province had twenty-six registered vocational training centres. The majority of these centres were government owned, followed by non-governmental organisation owned, church owned colleges and, finally, private training colleges.
5.3.4 Sampling strategy and selection of participants
In line with the CR paradigm, the researcher purposefully selected information rich study participants (Pawson & Tilley, 1997). This is also supported by other researchers in qualitative studies (Palinkas et al., 2015; Patton, 2002). This study was no exception with a sample size of twenty-eight participants. Using purposive sampling facilitated easy inclusion of participants from the agriculture programmes at the two colleges. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were clearly spelt out (Robinson, 2014). For the students, only those who had been allocated plots as A1 farmers were included.
Qualitative studies are characterised by small samples of participants generally. Sampling, according to Bertram and Christiansen (2014),involves making decisions about which people or organisations to include in the study. These are selected from a population, that is, the total number of organisations that could be included. This automatically sets inclusion and exclusion criteria for selection of colleges that would have rich data. The sample chosen was based on fitness for purpose as well as the depth of information participants possess (Boddy, 2016). The twenty-eight participants who took part in the study were as follows: two ministry officials, two principals (one from each college); eight agriculture lecturers (four from each college) and sixteen students (eight from each college). Participant selection is further clarified in section 5.5.2 of this thesis.
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